Joseph p



(No Mudel.)

J. P. HERBERT 8v P. WRIN.

ICE GREEPER. No. 258,419. Patented. May 23, 1882.

ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH P. HERBERT AND PATRICK WRIN, OF WOONSOGKET, It. I.

lCE-CREEPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 258,419, dated May 23, 1882.

Application filed April 1, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beitknownthatwe,JsEPHP.HERBERTand PATRICK WRIN, citizens of the United States, and residents of Woonsocket, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Ice Creepers; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawin gs, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, showing the creeper in place ready for use. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of'the rabbeted heel of the shoe.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the creeper detached, and Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the creeper in place as a heel-protector.

This invention has relation to ice creepers for boots and shoes; and it consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter at designates the heel of a rubber shoe, to which this invention is especially adapted, the heel being formed with a rabbet around its rear curved wall at its lower portion, as indicated at I). This rabbet is formed with offset recesses c in its upper portion.

The metallic band (1 is made in bow form, and usually of steel. Perforations e are made respectively in its front ends and back portion to receive the pivot-screws g and the rear screws or pins, h. The upper edge of the metallic band is formed with the angular projections or points 70, which, when the band is seated in the rabbet b, extend into the offsets 0 thereof, so that the outer surface of the metallic protector is flush, or nearly so, with the heelwall and its serrated lower edge, Z, even, or

nearly so, with the bottom of the heel. In this position it serves an important purpose in protecting the heel from undue wear and preventing the shoe from slipping.

In order to convert the protector into a creeper for use on snow or ice, the rear screws or pins, h, are removed and the band is turned on its end pivots under the hollow of the sole, so that the projections or points 70 extend downward in position to engage the snow or ice of the walk, affordingafirm footing to the wearer. When the band is reversed in this manner to form a creeper it is designed to be held in position against the sole of the shoe by means of an elastic support, 8, passing over the instep, and having end hooks, z, to engage the sides of the band 01.

We are aware that it is not new to pivot a creeper-band at the front of the heel; and we do not claim such device, broadly.

What we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with the rabbeted heel or b, of the bowed metallic protector-band having its serrated lower edge, I, level, or nearly so, with the heel-base and the points It on its upper edge, the end pivots, g, and holdingscrews h in rear, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with the rabbeted heel a b, of the bowed and reversible metallic protector-band and creeper d and the elastic support 8, having end hooks, z, substantiallyas specified.

In testimony that we claim .the above we have hereunto subscribed our names in the presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH P. HERBERT. PATRICK WRIN.

Witnesses J 0s. A. ELWELL, GEORGE A. WILBUR. 

